by Dr Justin Marley

Research into Brain Ageing News Roundup May 3rd Edition 2013

Recent research has clarified how Thioridazine one of the first antipsychotics to be used is also effective in the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

There is a small case series (n=5) looking at Ramelteon in Delirium. Ramelteon is a Melatonin receptor agonist. Further studies will be needed to see if this effect is seen in large samples and to assess the risk-benefit ratio of using this medication which like other medications has side-effects. It will be interesting to see the results of further research in this area.

In another experimental study (n=20) published in JAMA Psychiatry, researchers found that Sodium Nitroprusside was effective in the treatment of psychosis with the effect beginning within 4 hours and lasting up to 4 weeks after a single administration with these effects not observed in the placebo group. Further studies will be needed to see if this effect is seen in large samples and to assess the risk-benefit ratio of using this medication which like other medications has side-effects. It will be interesting to see the results of further research in this area.

There is a nice write-up of a study looking at Pepper consumption and the risk of Parkinson’s Disease. The researchers compared 490 people with Parkinson’s Disease with 644 people without Parkinson’s Disease. The researchers found that people without Parkinson’s Disease were less likely to have eaten peppers and that there was a dose-related effect i.e the more Peppers a person ate per week the less likely they were to have Parkinson’s Disease. However it will be interesting to see further research in this area.

Neuroscience

There is a fascinating project known as OpenWorm which aims to create a virtual Nematode i.e a computer generated Nematode. Members of the OpenWorm project write about their attendance at an Open Source Brain event in Sardinia here.

Courtesy of bbsrc media there is an interesting video explaining research into the ageing Brain – the Cam-Can Project.

Evolutionary Psychiatry

Recent research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that the Frontal Lobe has not increased disproportionally in humans relative to other parts of the brain. The researchers conclude that the Cerebellum and connections between different parts of the brain have also played an important role in human evolution.

Index: There are indices for the TAWOP site here and hereTwitter: You can follow ‘The Amazing World of Psychiatry’ Twitter by clicking on this link. Podcast: You can listen to this post on Odiogo by clicking on this link (there may be a small delay between publishing of the blog article and the availability of the podcast). It is available for a limited period. TAWOP Channel: You can follow the TAWOP Channel on YouTube by clicking on this link. Responses: If you have any comments, you can leave them below or alternatively e-mail justinmarley17@yahoo.co.uk. Disclaimer: The comments made here represent the opinions of the author and do not represent the profession or any body/organisation. The comments made here are not meant as a source of medical advice and those seeking medical advice are advised to consult with their own doctor. The author is not responsible for the contents of any external sites that are linked to in this blog.